American record producer, civil rights activist, and talent scout, (1910-1987) who was instrumental in sparking or furthering the musical careers of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and many more. TLS, one page, 8.5 x 11, Columbia Records letterhead, August 9, 1966. Letter to music innovator and Discovery Records founder Albert Marx, in part: "I had a long talk this morning with Walter Dean, our Vice President in charge of business affairs, and I told him about my dilemma about the costs of the Joe Masters' MASS, and he suggested I make you the following offer: an advance of $4,000. against a 10% (of wholesale) artist royalty. In addition to this, we would arrange a publishing royalty based on the concert rate of approximately 1/4 of a cent per minute of music, which would come out to around 9 cents per record. With this sort of double royalty, I think you would recoup your total costs very quickly, since Columbia would give the work top Christmas promotion, and it would be among our major Christmas albums for 1966." In fine condition, with scattered light creasing and two file holes to the top.
